Recycling of solid wastes from integrated steelmaking plant: A sustainable alternative

Abstract

Worldwide, the iron and steelmaking industry generates around 30 million tons of the recyclable wastes per year. They are generated at different phases of the production with different types and characteristics. Within these are: sludge of the Blast Furnace; coke lines; fine and coarse fractions from oxygen converters; sludge from water treatment at rolling mill unit; and others. In this paper the above dusts and sludges were physically and chemically characterized. The obtained results allowed defining self-reducing pellets using these materials. The high temperature behaviors of the pellets were evaluated. Good results, with no decrepitation and swelling, and high yield of reduction, show that it is feasible to recycle them, as self-reducing pellets, in oxygen steelmaking converter, with a net benefit of US$ 20 per ton of these dusts.